Uzair Rizvi, BeyondHeadlines
In another demonstration of their improved overseas performance, a weakened Indian team defeated West Indies by 63 runs on fourth day of the first test at Sabina Park to take a 1-0 lead in the three match Test Series.
The Windies were set a winning target of 326 after bowling India out for 252 on third day, started the penultimate day on 131/3 but they lost Darren Bravo (41) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (30) in the opening hour and eventually slipped to 232 all out shortly after lunch.
Lower down the order Sammy, Edwards, Rampual and Bishoo all played their part and scored some valuable runs, the last wicket added 39 runs and kept frustrating Dhoni & co. but it was just not enough from the hosts to seal a win.
Raina finished the proceedings after picking up the last Windies batsmen to kick-off the celebrations.
Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma with six wickets apiece, picking up three wickets each in the second innings. Mishra scalped two wickets.
Earlier, in the first innings the visitors were struggling at 85/6, when a crucial partnership between Raina and Harbhajan settled the game and then it was some fine bowling performance by all the bowlers to rattle up the hosts with a deficit of 73 runs in the first innings.
India owe this win to the Great Wall, ‘Man of the Match’ Rahul Dravid’s 112 in the second innings along with his crucial knock of 40 runs in the first innings.
This was India’s second win at Sabina Park after having clinched the series with a win during their tour of 2006.This is also their fifth overall Test win on Caribbean soil.
The two teams now travel to Barbados where the second test will be held at Kensington Oval from 28 June.
